By Emma Balment

In a market where the dining room increasingly belongs to the consumer, winning the off-premise will become just as important as winning the dine-in one for today’s restaurant operators. Traditionally in Canada, the majority of orders were consumed at the restaurant, whether full-service or quick-service – but things have changed.

Years ago, foodservice usage rates were high, and the mature market was looking for new occasions to grow, so operators were focused on expanding off-premise occasions, particularly by replacing meals prepared at home. Quick-service chains led the way, but even full-service restaurants invested in off-premise operations. A tug-of-war emerged as grocers and convenience stores developed fully prepared foods and beverages for immediate consumption, dubbed “home meal replacement” (HMR).

Today, consumers are as likely to dine at home as in a restaurant, each accounting for a third of all traffic.¹ Of course, the discussion of eating at home must acknowledge the pandemic. Following March 2020, phased lockdowns reduced dine-in occasions to less than five per cent of traffic nationwide. As a result, traffic growth through 2024 was driven largely by dine-in recovery. However, when the dust settled, eating at home remained a more common habit than it was in 2019.

Expanding competition for the at-home occasion

When Canadians enjoy restaurant meals at home, QSRs remain the primary choice, capturing 51 per cent of traffic. However, this has declined from 58 per cent a decade ago. retail foodservice (32 per cent) and full-service restaurants (12 per cent) have both gained share of the at-home occasion, while non-commercial accounts for the remaining five per cent.

Current economic conditions are putting further pressure on restaurants’ share of the at-home occasion. Studies² have found affordability, economic prospects, and housing among Canadians’ leading concerns, and price is now the primary purchase driver for 55 per cent of adults.

The average cheque total for foodservice consumed at home is roughly 30 per cent lower than dine-in, with retail foodservice offering the lowest cheque. In this environment, it makes sense that four in ten adults are actively trying to reduce restaurant visits and eat more meals at home. Foodservice traffic and dollars continue to grow, but consumers are shifting towards more affordable retail offerings and consuming them off-premise.

Consumers are also managing costs by shifting away from dinner. Ten years ago, 58 per cent of at-home traffic occurred at dinner; today it is 48 per cent. Growth has been concentrated more in affordable breakfast and lunch occasions, supporting foods such as burgers, eggs, breakfast sandwiches, wraps, hot dogs, chicken wings, and seafood.

Everyone’s getting in on it

Eating at home is most common among middle-aged consumers who may have families and more space to gather. While older consumers still prefer on-premise dining and younger consumers will eat almost anywhere, every age group has gravitated toward at-home occasions over the past decade.

Young adults and teens are the most likely to use retail foodservice for immediate consumption needs. Although every age group is turning to retail more often, none are doing so as aggressively as consumers aged 16 to 25 – they face the greatest economic pressure and have grown up with a more positive Retail Foodservice experience. Boomers, meanwhile, remain more loyal to FSR and QSR operators for at-home occasions.

Beyond immediate gratification

The primary reasons Canadians choose a foodservice destination include craving, hunger, comfort, convenience, mental upliftment, indulgence, social connection, and exploration. For at-home occasions, craving, convenience, and indulgence are particularly strong drivers as consumers seek to satisfy a specific taste with ease. However, the meaning of convenience is evolving: speed and location are now table stakes. Increasingly, convenience is about being unwilling or unprepared to cook.

The rise in delivery has helped facilitate more immediate gratification at home. Over the past decade, delivery has doubled its share of traffic, accounting for four per cent of total foodservice traffic and 10 per cent of at-home traffic. Yet rising prices are encouraging consumers to avoid delivery fees and opt for takeout instead. Even when ordering through apps, they are increasingly willing to do the legwork themselves. Today, 70 per cent of at-home Foodservice traffic is fulfilled through takeout. Drive-thru accounts for most of the remainder and loses share to delivery.

As more Canadians feel pressure to prepare food at home, the reasons that make foodservice worth the cost are changing. Craving, hunger, indulgence, and cooking aversion alone are becoming less compelling. The at-home occasion is becoming more emotional and experiential, with growing opportunities to meet needs around comfort, exploration, and mental upliftment.

Marketing implications

Success in the at-home foodservice market will require more than simply extending restaurant occasions beyond four walls. As consumers become increasingly selective about where they spend, brands must articulate a stronger value proposition than convenience alone. Marketers should position foodservice as a meaningful enhancement to life at home, emphasizing comfort, discovery, quality, and small indulgences that consumers may be unwilling or unable to recreate themselves. Operators should evaluate their menus, packaging, and promotions through an at-home lens, ensuring products travel well, remain craveable after transport, and fit a broader range of meal occasions beyond dinner. Suppliers can support this shift by developing products and solutions that improve food quality retention, portability, and menu differentiation.

Across the industry, growth will come from understanding the evolving emotional needs behind the at-home occasion. Winning brands will be those that help consumers turn everyday meals into experiences worth paying for, while providing clear value in an increasingly competitive landscape.

As Director, Food and Beverage Group, at Ipsos, Emma Balment leverages trended syndicated consumer data, specializing in uncovering growth opportunities for foodservice professionals by providing a deep understanding of their consumer and competitive landscape.

Sources:

Ipsos, Foodservice Monitor (FSM), trend data ending May 2026.
Ipsos Market Essentials, July 2026, https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/market-essentials-did-you-know